A Scout whose quick thinking saved his father’s life has been honoured with a special bravery award.

The Scout Association has presented the award to just 12 Scouts who have saved people’s lives across Britain, including 15-year-old Joseph Slade, a pupil at Didcot’s St Birinus School.

When Joseph’s father Jon, 44, started choking on crackling from a hog roast at a party in Sutton Courtenay, his son leaped to the rescue and performed the Heimlich manoeuvre to dislodge it.

Joseph, of Bear Lane, North Moreton, said: “It was all quite fast. He was trying to signal people to do it, but people thought he was joking.

“I just got up behind him, put my arms just under his ribcage, and squeezed a couple of times. It came shooting out, and he just leant over on the ground and I kept hitting his back.”

He added: “It’s one of those things you hear about and see on TV. You never think you’re going to have to use first aid, but you do.”

The split-second intervention and calm thinking came after years of first aid training at Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, of which Joseph has been a member since the age of six. He currently is an Explorer Scout with the 1st Clifton Hampden and Burcot Sea Scouts.

The Chief Scout, explorer Bear Grylls, said: “Joseph has shown great bravery, and his act is an inspiration to many.

“I’m so proud that when it mattered, he showed great Scouting spirit.”

Joseph’s mother Annetta, 40, said: “We’re so proud of him. Jon was really choking. He couldn’t talk, he couldn’t communicate, he couldn’t breathe.

“He tapped one guy in front of him, but he thought he was joking. Joseph just got up and sorted him out.”

Other recipients of the award included a 13-year-old who needed hospital treatment after rescuing a friend who had fallen through a frozen lake, and a 17-year-old who paddled out to sea on a body board to rescue a drowning fisherman.

Source: Oxford Mail

A new consultation released by the Government outlines proposals for Door Supervisors to undertake compulsory top-up training in order to renew their SIA licences.

Government estimates put the annual cost of the proposed extra training between £10.1m and £25.9m.

The top-up training would be compulsory when Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences are renewed every three years. On-going refresher training in physical skills would also be needed.

This is the Home Office’s preferred option outlined in a new consultation, released today.

A statement from the department said the aim is “to protect the public by raising standards of training across the industry”.

Additional training will include physical intervention, first aid, special considerations when dealing with young people and awareness of the threat of terrorism.

Bill Butler, SIA chief executive, said: “We welcome these proposals, many of which were suggested by the Industry.

“They understand the challenges faced by door supervisors and the skills needed to carry out their duties professionally, whilst protecting the public.

“We are encouraging those working in the door supervision sector, training providers and stakeholders to contribute to this important piece of work.”

If the decision is made to implement the proposals, top-up training will be compulsory for all door supervisors from May 2011.

The SIA said it would work with awarding bodies to ensure training is available from October 2010.

The 14-week public consultation can be viewed here: www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

beSmart already offers a range of continued professional development courses for door supervisor such as physical intervention and first aid.  If you want to be ahead of the game give us a call on 020 7237 6007 or visit our website at www.besmart-training.co.uk.